diff --git a/start.bat b/start.bat
index 688bfc94..5816eed8 100644
--- a/start.bat
+++ b/start.bat
@@ -1,11 +1,20 @@
-:: From https://github.com/jllllll/windows-venv-installers/blob/main/Powershell/run-ps-script.cmd
 @echo off
 
-set SCRIPT_NAME=start.ps1
+:: Creates a venv if it doesn't exist and runs the start script for requirements upgrades
+:: This is intended for users who want to start the API and have everything upgraded and installed
 
-:: This will run the Powershell script named above in the current directory
-:: This is intended for systems who have not changed the script execution policy from default
-:: These systems will be unable to directly execute Powershell scripts unless done through CMD.exe like below
+cd "%~dp0"
 
-if not exist "%~dp0\%SCRIPT_NAME%" ( echo %SCRIPT_NAME% not found! && pause && goto eof )
-call powershell.exe -executionpolicy Bypass ". '%~dp0\start.ps1' %*"
+:: Don't create a venv if a conda environment is active
+if exist "%CONDA_PREFIX%" (
+    echo It looks like you're in a conda environment. Skipping venv check.
+) else (
+    if not exist "venv\" (
+        echo "Venv doesn't exist! Creating one for you."
+        python -m venv venv
+        call .\venv\Scripts\activate.bat
+    )
+)
+
+:: Call the python script with batch args
+call python start.py %*
diff --git a/start.ps1 b/start.ps1
deleted file mode 100644
index cc17d6bd..00000000
--- a/start.ps1
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,75 +0,0 @@
-# Arg parsing
-param(
-    [switch]$ignore_upgrade = $false,
-    [switch]$nowheel = $false,
-    [switch]$activate_venv = $false
-)
-
-# Gets the currently installed CUDA version
-function GetRequirementsFile {
-    $GpuInfo = (Get-WmiObject Win32_VideoController).Name
-    if ($GpuInfo.Contains("AMD")) {
-        Write-Error "AMD/ROCm isn't supported on Windows. Please switch to linux."
-        exit
-    }
-
-    # Install nowheel if specified
-    if ($nowheel) {
-        Write-Host "Not installing wheels due to user request."
-        return "requirements-nowheel"
-    }
-
-    $CudaPath = $env:CUDA_PATH
-    $CudaVersion = Split-Path $CudaPath -Leaf
-
-    # Decide requirements based on CUDA version
-    if ($CudaVersion.Contains("12")) {
-        return "requirements"
-    } elseif ($CudaVersion.Contains("11.8")) {
-        return "requirements-cu118"
-    } else {
-        Write-Host "Script cannot find your CUDA installation. installing from requirements-nowheel.txt"
-        return "requirements-nowheel"
-    }
-}
-
-# Make a venv and enter it
-function CreateAndActivateVenv {
-    # Is the user using conda?
-    if ($null -ne $env:CONDA_PREFIX) {
-        Write-Host "It looks like you're in a conda environment. Skipping venv check."
-        return
-    }
-
-    $VenvDir = "$PSScriptRoot\venv"
-
-    if (!(Test-Path -Path $VenvDir)) {
-        Write-Host "Venv doesn't exist! Creating one for you."
-        python -m venv venv
-    }
-
-    . "$VenvDir\Scripts\activate.ps1"
-
-    if ($activate_venv) {
-        Write-Host "Stopping at venv activation due to user request."
-        exit
-    }
-}
-
-# Entrypoint for API start
-function StartAPI {
-    pip -V
-    if ($ignore_upgrade) {
-        Write-Host "Ignoring pip dependency upgrade due to user request."
-    } else {
-        pip install --upgrade -r "$RequirementsFile.txt"
-    }
-
-    python main.py
-}
-
-# Navigate to the script directory
-Set-Location $PSScriptRoot
-$RequirementsFile = GetRequirementsFile
-CreateAndActivateVenv
-StartAPI
diff --git a/start.py b/start.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..ba220e62
--- /dev/null
+++ b/start.py
@@ -0,0 +1,58 @@
+"""Utility to automatically upgrade and start the API"""
+import argparse
+import os
+import pathlib
+import subprocess
+from main import entrypoint
+
+
+def get_requirements_file():
+    """Fetches the appropriate requirements file depending on the GPU"""
+    requirements_name = "requirements-nowheel"
+    ROCM_PATH = os.environ.get("ROCM_PATH")
+    CUDA_PATH = os.environ.get("CUDA_PATH")
+
+    # TODO: Check if the user has an AMD gpu on windows
+    if ROCM_PATH:
+        requirements_name = "requirements-amd"
+    elif CUDA_PATH:
+        cuda_version = pathlib.Path(CUDA_PATH).name
+        if "12" in cuda_version:
+            requirements_name = "requirements"
+        elif "11" in cuda_version:
+            requirements_name = "requirements-cu118"
+
+    return requirements_name
+
+
+def get_argparser():
+    """Fetches the argparser for this script"""
+    parser = argparse.ArgumentParser()
+    parser.add_argument(
+        "-iu",
+        "--ignore-upgrade",
+        action="store_true",
+        help="Ignore requirements upgrade",
+    )
+    parser.add_argument(
+        "-nw",
+        "--nowheel",
+        action="store_true",
+        help="Don't upgrade wheel dependencies (exllamav2, torch)",
+    )
+    return parser
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    parser = get_argparser()
+    args = parser.parse_args()
+
+    if args.ignore_upgrade:
+        print("Ignoring pip dependency upgrade due to user request.")
+    else:
+        requirements_file = (
+            "requirements-nowheel" if args.nowheel else get_requirements_file()
+        )
+        subprocess.run(f"pip install -U -r {requirements_file}.txt")
+
+    entrypoint()